Tucker Ellis LLP is pleased to announce that Gregory Abrams has joined the firm’s Labor & Employment practice group as partner. Mr. Abrams is resident in the firm’s Chicago office.

Mr. Abrams has devoted his two-decade career to representing and counseling management in all facets of labor and employment law. He focuses his practice on defending employers in their most complex and important litigation, tailoring his approach to each individual client’s definition of “success.” He also advises companies in responding to and overcoming challenges involving their most important asset: their people.

Mr. Abrams’s litigation experience includes defending employers against class and collective actions under the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) and state wage-and-hour laws, Title VII, and other employment laws. Having managed matters involving thousands of potential class members throughout the country, he has successfully defeated class certification, prevailed on the merits, and secured favorable resolutions. He also regularly represents companies in prosecuting and defending trade secrets and restrictive covenants matters. In recent years, Mr. Abrams has led the defense of multiple companies against class action lawsuits under the Illinois Biometric Information Privacy Act (BIPA) and has become a prolific speaker and writer on the topic.

In his employment counseling practice, Mr. Abrams provides day-to-day (and often immediate) guidance on all types of issues, including restrictive covenants, wage-and-hour laws, employee termination, drug and alcohol testing, and criminal background checks. He also prepares severance agreements, employee handbooks, and other employment policies, and manages internal employment investigations.

Mr. Abrams routinely presents at CLEs and similar events on a variety of employment and related topics. His writing on employment and privacy-related issues frequently appears in publications such as Reuters (for which he provides a quarterly column), Employment Law 360, and Chicago Daily Law Bulletin. A recognized thought-leader, he has also been interviewed by media outlets including Bloomberg Law, Fortune, Chicago Tribune, Crain’s Chicago Business, and numerous others. Mr. Abrams has also served as a contributing author and editor to the annual FLSA Midwinter Report published by the FLSA Subcommittee of the ABA Federal Labor Standards Legislation Committee.

“We’re excited to welcome Greg to the firm,” said Tom Simmons, chair of the Tucker Ellis Business Litigation Group and its Labor & Employment Group. “With his wide-ranging experience and strong track record for getting results, he brings a high level of talent and skill to our growing team that will benefit our attorneys as well as our clients.”

“Greg is a superb addition to our firm,” added Karl Bekeny, chair of the firm’s Trial Department. “He embodies the Tucker Ellis spirit of excellence and service in all facets of his career – from his client-first approach in his practice to his commitment to pro bono work and mentoring younger attorneys.”

Mr. Abrams received his law degree from the University of Chicago Law School. He received his bachelor’s degree from University of Pennsylvania.